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Clement of Alexandria
Chapter 2 About this work
Author Clement of Alexandria Chap. ii. 1. “And if any man sin,” he says, “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.” For so the Lord is an advocate with the Father for us. So also is there, an advocate, whom, after His assumption, He vouchsafed to send. For these primitive and first-created virtues are unchangeable as to substance, and along with subordinate angels and archangels, whose names they share, effect divine operations. Thus also Moses names the virtue of the angel Michael, by an angel near to himself and of lowest grade. The like also we find in the holy prophets; but to Moses an angel appeared near and at hand. Moses heard him and spoke to him manifestly, face to face. On the other prophets, through the agency of angels, an impression was made, as of beings hearing and seeing. On this account also , they alone
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heard
,
and
they
alone
saw
;
as
also
is
seen
in
the
case
of
Samuel
.
Elisæus
also
alone
heard
the
voice
by
which
he
was
called
.
If
the
voice
had
been
open
and
common
,
it
would
have
been
heard
by
all
.
In
this
instance
it
was
heard
by
him
alone
in
whom
the
impression
made
by
the
angel
worked
.
Ver . 2 . “ And not only for our sins , ” — that is for those of the faithful , — is the Lord the propitiator , does he say , “ but also for the whole world . ” He , indeed , saves all ; but some [ He saves ] , converting them by punishments ; others , however , who follow voluntarily [ He saves ] with dignity of honour ; so “ that every knee should bow to Him , of things in heaven , and things on earth , and things under the earth ; ” that is , angels , men , and souls that before His advent have departed from this temporal life .
Ver . 3 . “ And by this we know that we know Him , if we keep His commandments . ” For the Gnostic [ he who knows ] also does the Works which pertain to the province of virtue . But he who performs the works is not necessarily also a Gnostic . For a man may be a doer of right works , and yet not a knower of the mysteries of science . Finally , knowing that some works are performed from fear of punishment , and some on account of the promise of reward , he shows the perfection of the man gifted with knowledge , who fulfils his works by love . Further , he adds , and says : —
Ver . 5 . “ But whoso keepeth His word , in him verily is the love of God perfected : hereby know we that we are in Him , ” — by faith and love .
Ver . 7 . “ I write no new commandment unto you , but an old commandment , which ye had from the beginning , ” — through the Law , that is , and the prophets ; where it is said , God is one . Accordingly , also , he infers , “ For the old commandment is the word which ye have heard . ”
Again , however , he says : —
Ver . 8 . “ This is the commandment ; for the darkness ” of perversion , that is , “ has passed away , and , lo , the true light hath already shone , ” — that is , through faith , through knowledge , through the Covenant working in men , through prepared judgments .
Ver . 9 . “ He that saith he is in the light , ” — in the light , he means in the truth , — “ and hateth , ” he says , “ his brother . ” By his brother , he means not only his neighbour , but also the Lord . For unbelievers hate Him and do not keep His commandments . Therefore also he infers : —
Ver . 10 . “ He that loveth his brother abideth in the light ; and there is none occasion of stumbling in him . ”
Vers . 12 – 14 . He then indicates the stages of advancement and progress of souls that are still located in the flesh ; and calls those whose sins have been forgiven , for the Lord’s name’s sake , “ little children , ” for many believe on account of the name only . He styles “ fathers ” the perfect , “ who have known what was from the beginning , ” and received with understanding , — the Son , that is , of whom he said above , “ that which was from the beginning . ”
“ I write , ” says he , “ to you , young men , because ye have overcome the wicked one . ” Young man strong in despising pleasures . “ The wicked one ” points out the eminence of the devil . “ The children , ” moreover , know the Father ; having fled from idols and gathered together to the one God .
Ver . 15 . “ For the world , ” he says , “ is in the
wicked one . ” Is not the world , and all that is in the world , called God’s creation and very good ? Yes . But ,
Ver . 16 . “ The lust of the flesh , the lust of the eyes , and the ambition of the world , ” which arise from the perversion of life , “ are not of the Father , but of the world , ” and of you .
Ver . 17 . “ Therefore also the world shall pass away , and the lust thereof ; but he that doeth the will of God ” and His commandments “ abideth for ever . ”
Ver . 19 . “ They went out from us ; but they were not of us ” — neither the apostate angels , nor men falling away ; — “ but that they may be manifested that they are not of us . ” With sufficient clearness he distinguishes the class of the elect and that of the lost , and that which remaining in faith “ has an unction from the Holy One , ” which comes through faith . He that abideth not in faith .
Ver . 22 . “ A liar ” and “ an antichrist , who denieth that Jesus is the Christ . ” For Jesus , Saviour and Redeemer , is also Christ the King .
Ver . 23 . “ He who denies the Son , ” by ignoring Him , “ has not the Father , nor does he know Him . ” But he who knoweth the Son and the Father , knows according to knowledge , and when the Lord shall be manifested at His second advent , shall have confidence and not be confounded . Which confusion is heavy punishment .
Ver . 29 . “ Every one , ” he says , “ who doeth righteousness is born of God ; ” being regenerated , that is , according to faith .
Notes 78 1 Sam. iii. 3, 4.
79 1 Kings xix.
80 Phil. ii. 10.
81 “Intellector” in Latin translation. [See p. 607, footnote.]
